Denmark (2019) User Reviews

The Kitchen Sink Returns & It's Needed.

[LouieInLove · 7/10 · 20 July 2020]

A well thought through & written piece. The acting is excellent.

It has that classic bitter sweet kitchen sink social commentary.

So many in Wales (& other parts of the UK) face a desperate situation like the lead character. The film makes you face society's flaws with a back rub rather than a fist.

First half wonderful

[mareksimon · 6/10 · 20 October 2022]

I had this movie on my watchlist pretty long time so I kinda had some expectations from it. One day I had a really small amount of time to watch something so this was when Denmark came in.

The descriptions made me pretty interested.

The first half of the movie was great. There was exactly what I wanted to see. Good jokes, amazing scenery, and the actors were really good. But as soon as the main character moved to Denmark I realized that it will not be my type of movie as in the beginning.

The movie changed into some empty and uninteresting romantic comedy. If it kinda kept at least some tragicomedy from the beginning it would be much less painful to watch. I do not the type of person who cares about romantic parts in movies and if I do then it is one of the best to be ever made. I don't care about some poor social drama and the biggest problem was that they completely left the point they were trying to make at the beginning.

In the beginning, it was around 6.5 to 7.5 but it dropped cause of the second half that it had.

6/10.

A rather fortunate story with a realistic feel

[fallyhag · 6/10 · 23 July 2020]

The lead is Unquestionably an excellent actor. The film felt realistic. Moody, downbeat and desperate. I could feel his stress. I felt for the character. Even if I didn't really get to know him too well.

I could understand the move to Denmark but the journey there was very fortunate. It relied on sparse filming and vague story telling. You have to just accept he went from UK to Denmark in the blink of an eye and with a lot of luck.

The love interest was also another very fortunate bit of story telling. It really did start to stretch reality a little. The speed of him being alone to having dinner was a challenge. No real attempt to create a loving romance.

But this disbelief would be dwarfed by the gun And police station scenes. It was like they run out of time and tossed a coin for the ending. Super rushed and super convenient. The ending very anti-climatic, yet Subtle and A little understated.

This is not a comedy. It is a young man at the end. Hopeless. Finding a reason not to give up. The acting was good so it was easy to travel the story. I wanted more from it but what I got was okay. The lead actor is appearing in a lot of productions just lately and this film explains why. I believed his character story so that is a credit to him. I do recommend it but save it for a chilled afternoon. #WearaMask

Great Basic movie.

[stixx-51377 · 7/10 · 23 July 2020]

Sweet movie defenetly one i could recommend. The plot is so basic and i love it for that. Not only you can see the problem the protagonist is having. With all the troubles he has in wales and how it helped him shaking up his life a bit and trying to find meaning again. And by going to denmark. I love how you see the wound on his forehead heal as time passes in the movie. I thought that was a great touch. Defently one im gonna remember for a while.

Romantic Journey With An Arthouse Style

[t-d-t-m82 · 6/10 · 1 March 2024]

Firstly ships do NOT go to Denmark from Harwich. This is an absurd plotline. Secondly I highly-doubt a stowaway would have gone on these absurd lengths when BUDGET fligths are available. It's such a riduclous plot concept which ruins an otherwise fairly romantic storyline with plenty of nice arthouse cinematorgraphy.

The acting is superb and the character-development is excellent. It's a ridiculous plot and concept which lets it down. It's nice that there is a mix of UK and Danish actors.

Accents are important in characters. These are well-represented. Rafe Spall is an excellent actor who reminds me very much of Paddy Considine. Superb stuff. He really understands how to act as someone on the breadline.

The problem is the stupid and impossible plot concept. It just makes no sense. Why create something which is impossible? It's Hull - Denmark not Harwich.

Not funny

[alexander1212 · 3/10 · 8 May 2020]

*LIGHT SPOILERS*

Simply not funny. I don't know why this is listed as a comedy, cause it didn't extract a single laugh out of me, nor did it really seem to be trying to all that hard. If anything, this movie is super depressing. It's a film about a depressed man living a depressing life. It's just not fun to watch. And the main protagonist comes across as a huge weirdo/creep, and we're just expected to believe this woman falls in love with him? The premise of the film sounded great, but it itself is anything but. In terms of praise, I can say that, being Danish, I was naturally intrigued by this film. I appreciate the inclusion of actual Danish actors speaking Danish - certainly made the movie more novel to me as it's not something you're used to seeing in non-Danish cinema.

Nicely done but unrelentingly depressing

[artenfrize · 5/10 · 16 December 2020]

There's no real arc or story to speak of and in lesser hands this would have been a molten dumpster fire but Spall manages to drag it over the line with a decent supporting cast. If you're waiting for sometime heartwarming to happen you'll be waiting a long time.

Please see this film

[fashinrashin · 8/10 · 21 July 2020]

Not really a comedy, but there are some funny moments. Filmmakers take note , this is John Cassavetes, ken Loach, Mike Leigh, John Sayles territory and its brilliant. You can make films like this for nothing, that are pitch perfect when describing the human condition. These kinds of films are really important. Anyone that has lived in Britain , in any of those depressed regions can relate to this film. I have gone through what the protagonist went through, and it is not for sissies. I watched this 3 nights ago and I have found myself reliving the scenes and dialog days later. This one stays with you. Everyone plays it well, the dog stole the show, and Rafe Spall is fabulous.

Loser waves gun, gets gorgeous girl.

[sue-jamesion · 3/10 · 3 December 2022]

The lesson of this movie would appear to be that, even if you are a total loser as a husband and father, and you are fed up with life, all you need do is wave a gun at a bunch of helpless, terrified people and the gorgeous woman who does have her life together will step up and save you because you're just so adorably broken.

No decent mother would let this man within a country mile of her child. Just because a stray dog finds him acceptable, that's no reason to allow this tantrum-throwing sad sack of self pity into your family.

Rafe Spall was superb - no surprise there. A pity he was wasted on this stereotypical "nice guy kicking things" role.

From a male writer

[amandascanlan · 5/10 · 1 November 2022]

The movie starts in Wales where the protagonist is down and out. No job, his kid doesn't like him, his mum doesn't like him, he lives in an awful flat. He decides to go to Denmark to do a crime to get into a great jail that he saw on television. He gets there and goes to a bar and meets a female bartender. Also after that a dog follows him around. For no reason. He doesn't even have food. The female bartender befriends him. For no reason. He doesn't even have charisma. He tries to commit a crime. He can't. The bartender invites him to her mother's house to meet her and her daughter. For no reason. The whole movie is based on the man's point of view and through a man's imagination. No woman would act like the bartender.

Are we meant to feel sorry for the waste of space man?

[nzexbnpne · 2/10 · 9 January 2021]

I feel robbed of my time watching this.

The main character makes no attempt to get his life actually together. Illegally skips the country for a quick fix, fails, gets a second chance and just assumes everyone will want him back in their lives?

Your son doesn't want to see you, Wales doesn't want to see you, I'm surprised that dog still wants to see you? Maybe it smoked the weed you somehow had money to buy?

Don't waste your time. It's not heartwarming or funny

a very nice tragycomedy

[ops-52535 · 8/10 · 26 July 2020]

Well, ive been often thinking the same thing, that if i was a bum or hobo, lurking the streets here in fennoscandia, i wouldve done my best to get through the heavens gates of nordic imprisonment, just to get food and relaxation, some money and steady rythmm of life. looser you might think, but norwegian prisons really bake bread up under your arms to make you float through the system of punishment, and if the tv doesnt work, then youll be transfered to halden kretsfengsel, the heavenly oyster in noirwegian prison system.

so the reason for the welshman to go to denmark to break the law for a vacation in danish prisons are well delved over, and for sure a fat thought of good food and bed

its a film with lots of humble laughs, on behalf of a depressed person that really lives in a hassle. the main actor has this''marsian''surprised look that really tells half the story. it could have been even better elaborated how crime are dealt with up here among the trolls and vetter in the lands of the midnight sun, but if you just wanna creep in next to a depressed and repressed male welshman, then watch denmark.

the grumpy old man who has forgoitten half of the glossary learnt at school gives a recommend .

I'd rather be here typing this than finish watching this film.

[sarah-22197 · 3/10 · 15 November 2022]

The first hour meant nothing to me. Filler. Needed a good edit. There's way too much dead air in this film, I'm bored out of my brain. Finally something awful happens (great, so I'm bored and then feeling distressed), breaking into yet another stagnant scene.

Apparently I need another 341 characters to have this opiniont, so here we go: This movie could use some ambience to add momentum and pace to the scenes, rather than having me feeling like I'm observing a bunch of scenes while I'm waiting for a train. The characters are not ones I can connect with, so that meant the story doesn't matter to me.

It's okay for a one off watch

[npjy83 · 5/10 · 9 October 2020]

This is not the sort of movie you will watch over and over again, it's one of those movies where you will watch, perhaps enjoy, but won't think about watching it again thereafter. First of all, the profanity was a bit extreme, and the language was coarse.

It was a dark comedy, and the plot was original. However the ending was a bit of a disappointment as it hung and never came to a conclusion.

The story was good and the characters were believable. Nice original movie, but it did lack a decent ending.

Poor Ending - like a fart in the wind

[pdbrowne-63489 · 2/10 · 28 December 2020]

The trailer was good. The story plot was good. The first half of the movie was good. The ending was terrible. Did or didn't he remain in Denmark? Did or didn't he go back to Wales to find his son? Did he get with his lady friend after she kissed him on the cheek? The story of being in a bad place and wanting to get away from it all was there. He saw a way out. Yet there was no mention of the Denmark prison when he arrived in Denmark. The ending really annoyed me because it didn't conclude anything at all. This could have been a 6 star movie instead of a 2 star movie had the ending had closure.

Bittersweet gem

[dodgeruk · 8/10 · 13 July 2020]

Rafe Spall gives a memorable performance in this bittersweet fish-out-of-water comedy drama. It slowly dawns on me after 10 minutes that Adrian Shergold also helmed Funny Cow, one of the bleakest dramas of recent years. He's a master at constructing compelling dramas with characters trapped in joyless personal prisons. In this case it's Herb, a 34-year-old Welshman with a knack for fixing things. But he can't get a proper job, has an estranged son; he's lost his welfare; has a neighbour who plays incessant music, and Herb's diet consists mainly of cheap beer and mushy peas. Little wonder he's so depressed. After discovering Danish convicts live a luxurious life he could only dream of, Herb decides to travel across Europe with one goal: to get arrested and sent to a Danish prison. However, after meeting Mathilda, a local barmaid, and a lovable stray dog who won't leave his side, Herb realises that prison may not be his only chance to get the life he hoped for. Though the film could become a generic romcom, with Herb drifting into a ready made family, it's not quite so formulaic as that. As the tale unfolds, it's hard not to hope Herb will do the right thing, but he's a troubled soul. To paraphrase Springsteen, like a dog that's been beat too much, he's damaged by circumstances, and those wounds don't heal overnight. As with Funny Cow, Richard Hawley provides some terrific songs, and Jeff Murphy's script never strikes a false note. With a star-making turn from Simone Lykke as Mathilda, this really gets under the skin. At 91 minutes it never outstays its welcome, and the fact it left me hungry for more is testament to its success. Rafe Spall has long been one of showbusiness's most in-demand actors, and this is one of his finest turns to date. Highly recommended.

Delightful. Ish.

[zalfunk · 5/10 · 26 November 2021]

Sort of Welsh trainspotting.

But not really.

Bit weak.

Deep. Without depth.

Simple. Enjoyable. Some nice touches.

Doesn't sustain you for very long.

Delightful. Ish.

Dreary and implausible, yet predictable

[SamuelPickwick · 5/10 · 23 January 2024]

The premise for this film is that life in Britain these days, particularly in South Wales, is so miserable that you'd be better off in a prison in Denmark. Yes, I know, but it's a BBC film and that's the mindset of BBC groupthink nowadays. So our 'hero' Herb tries to get to Denmark so he can commit a crime and get sent to jail.

The first half of the film is slow moving and relentlessly depressing. There's an f word in almost every sentence. The other words are often mumbled - again, this seems to be the style these days.

When our hero gets to Denmark, you'll never guess what doesn't happen and what does happen instead. Oh, you did guess. Clever you. The second half of the film moves smoothly from one implausible scenario to the next even more unlikely one.

It's a mystery why this film is described as a comedy - there are only a few scenes with a dog that are mildly amusing.

Don't expect an interesting ending to the film, with a twist or a satisfying conclusion. It just fizzles out. Like this.

Strangely funny truthful and bittersweet

[stcloudusa · 8/10 · 13 June 2020]

This movie will frustrate you make you happy and sad it's a genuine tragic comedy and very close to the truth

A nice surprise

[VanBooter · 8/10 · 23 July 2020]

Loved it, it's not what I would class as a true comedy where the writer is trying to make the audience laugh out loud, it's a cute comedy and that's probably a bad attempt at trying to pigeon hole it. The amazing thing is though and somewhat spooky is I've often said to friends if I have nothing, no job, no home, no money, I would do exactly the same as what this guy attempted do only I would choose Norway because some prisons there the inmates have the luxury of cells which more or less fit the description of apartments. Sometime in the future I will watch it again and I if you get the chance I think you could a lot worse than to watch this also/

Loved this

[walshj-01468 · 10/10 · 2 January 2021]

Me and my wife gave this a go after reading reviews on here. So glad we did, a great little movie that has you laughing out loud in places, though as others have said it's not an actual comedy, but there are some good light hearted comedic bits throughout and the story is interesting. You also care and really want the main protagonist, Herb , to succeed in this. Recommended.

Just great

[a_mobbs · 8/10 · 18 April 2021]

Great performance from Rafe Spall and the cast. Yes it's a bit far fetched but there were some good laugh out loud moments alongside tunes serious stuff. 90 minutes well spent.

A very British, down and out but feel good comedy

[urema-1 · 8/10 · 28 March 2022]

One Way to Denmark is a very British working class comedy. The subtlety of self pity and hopelessness are the keys to this films humour.

Herb (Rafe Spall) is a working class Joe, down in his luck - he just lost his welfare entitlement, he has no job, he is estranged from his son, his neighbours cause him a lot stress, he tinkers at electronics for people for free, he has a poor relationship with his mother etc. After being jumped by some kids who steal his clothes he bought in a charity shop, his hopelessness hits an all time high and realises there is no way out living where he is. He sees youtube video showing prisons in Denmark and realises that prison life there is better than the life he actually has, and decides to try and get himself arrested in Denmark.

His friends are stuck in the same boat as him in life, none having any real hope, and none providing him any alternatives to his crazy plan.

He encounters some unique characters trying to smuggle himself over, and in the end struggles with going through with his plan - stranded in a dead end life in Wales, he finds himself now stranded in Denmark. However whilst he is there he finds that life outside Wales may have some opportunities for him to turn his life around.

Does his fortune change? Or does he give into his crazy plan to get arrested?

One Way to Denmark, apart from the plot, has nothing really special to show us. However it has laugh out loud moments here and there, and the chemistry between all the characters is pretty good.

It is a short and sweet feel-good dramedy, and definitely makes you feel for the low self-esteem and bleak outlook in some peoples lives.

Thought provoking

[goodalan-82191 · 10/10 · 14 December 2020]

Very good movie depicting life in Wales. Moments of madness but also romance. The only thing I would say is the ending was a little flat. It would of been nice to see him settle down with his new love.

actors u-probably havn't-seen-before ... u'll-enjoy-'em

[bjarias · 8/10 · 31 August 2020]

... really-very-good little-film all-characters-perfect even-dog's-perfect ... this-was-a-surprise why-we-all like-movies ... solid-8